Gene Sapakoff: Grading the bowl games

ADVANCE FOR WEEKEND EDITIONS, AUG. 25-26 - FILE - This Jan. 9, 2012 file photo shows Alabama head coach Nick Saban celebrating with quarterback AJ McCarron (10) after the BCS National Championship college football game in New Orleans. The relationship between Saban and McCarron, was once known for a spanking and a sideline tirade. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)

The college football bowl season is upon us with a 35-game schedule that kicks off today in Albuquerque. It’s an odd slate of games from Miami to Boise.

The GoDaddy.com Bowl and the Rose Bowl have something in common — only one ranked participant.

The Pinstripe Bowl, Sun Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl look like more fun than the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Capital One Bowl.

Note: This is why Tommy Tuberville bolted, for a shot at something better at Cincinnati

Armed Forces Dec, 29, 11:45 a.m., ESPN Air Force-Rice Air Force B

Note: Elite talent, if you combine the SAT scores

Fight Hunger Dec. 29, 4 p.m., ESPN2 Arizona St-Navy Arizona St C+

Note: Feisty Midshipmen will make it closer than the two-TD pointspread

Bowl Date Matchup Pick Fun grade

Alamo Dec. 29, 6:45 p.m., ESPN Oregon St-Texas Oregon St B-

Note: Beavers WR Markus Wheaton will add to his 11 touchdown catches

Buffalo Wild Wings Dec. 29, 10:15 p.m., ESPN TCU-Michigan St. TCU A-

Note: Admit it, you’ve never heard of this one (but a tasty clash in Tempe)

Music City Dec. 31, noon, ESPN Vanderbilt-N.C. St Vandy B

Note: Wolfpack opened the season losing to the other SEC team from Tennessee

Sun Dec. 31, 2 p.m., ESPN Ga. Tech-Southern Cal So. Cal A-

Note: Matt Barkley’s arm vs. the triple-option in old El Paso

Liberty Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m., ESPN Tulsa-Iowa St Iowa St C

Note: Supposed to include an SEC participant; blame Arkansas, Auburn and Tennessee

Bowl Date Matchup Pick Fun grade

Heart of Dallas Jan. 1, noon, ESPNU Okla. St-Purdue Okla. St D

Note: Ho-hum. 16.5 points is the largest spread among the bowl games

Gator Jan. 1, noon, ESPN2 Miss. St-Nwestern Miss. St B

Note: Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs whipped Michigan, 52-14, in this game two years ago

Capital One Jan. 1, 1 p.m., ABC Georgia-Nebraska Georgia C

Note: Bo Pelini said the better team lost after South Carolina’s 30-13 win last year

Rose Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN Wisconsin-Stanford Stanford B+

Note: Wisconsin (8-5) is unranked, perhaps one of the reasons Bret Bielema bolted

Orange Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m., ESPN Florida St.-N. Illinois FSU D

Note: Well, at least South Florida gets the BCS National Championship tourist windfall

Bowl Date Matchup Pick Fun grade

Sugar Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m., ESPN Florida-Louisville Florida C-

Note: Should have been Gators vs. Oklahoma with Louisville in the Orange Bowl

Fiesta Jan. 3, 8:30 p.m., ESPN Oregon-Kansas St Oregon A-

Note: Collin Klein and the Wildcats, Kenjon Barner and the Ducks aim for redemption

Cotton Jan. 4, 8 p.m., FOX Texas A&M-Oklahoma Texas A&M A-

Note: Johnny Football vs. a Stoops Bros. defense in The House That Jerry Built

Compass Jan. 5, 1 p.m., ESPN Ole Miss-Pittsburgh Ole Miss C

Note: Strangely, the pageantry of this game figures in the Robert Nkemdiche sweepstakes

GoDaddy.com Jan. 6, 9 p.m., ESPN Arkansas St-Kent St Arkansas St B+

Note: Hidden gem in Mobile; Kent St. (No. 25) is ranked, Arkansas St. is favored

Reach Gene Sapakoff at 937-5593 or on Twitter @sapakoff

Enlarge Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead (9) stops Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (6) after a first down catch in the second quarter of a NCAA college football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Auburn defensive back Jermaine Whitehead (9) stops Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (6) after a first down catch in the second quarter of a NCAA college football game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Enlarge South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) talks to Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson (8) after sacking him in the first quarter of their game against Arkansas at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.

South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) talks to Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson (8) after sacking him in the first quarter of their game against Arkansas at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.

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